1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus operated by a user who has been successfully authenticated, and a computer program executed in such an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus is, for example, a printer, a copier, and a Multi-functional peripheral (MFP).
2. Description of the Related Art
An information device called an MFP is used for copying and network printing both of which are uses of an image forming apparatus, and is also used to input, store, and transfer a document. The MFP has a box functioning as a data folder in which documents are stored, and is capable of saving a document inputted by scanning a document sheet or by communicating with an external device. The MFP also serves to, in response to operation by a user, print a document stored in a box; attach the document to an e-mail message for transmission; convert the document into facsimile data for transmission; and transfer the document to an external device.
A case is described in which an MFP is installed in an office of business and is shared by a plurality of users. In such a case, the MFP performs user authentication on each user before he/she uses the MFP. The authentication method may be: a method of reading out an identification code from an IC card or another medium; a method of reading biometric information from a user; or a method for a user to use a keypad to enter authentication information such as an identification code or a password. In any event, the MFP verifies authentication information entered by a user before the use thereof against authentication information registered in advance, or, alternatively, asks an authentication server to perform the verification. If the verification result is positive, then the user is successfully authenticated, and the MFP becomes a login state in which operation by the user is accepted.
For shared use of the MFP by users, the MFP is so configured that operation permissions are settable on a user-by-user basis. For example, a setting is possible in which only a specific user is authorized to designate “full-color” as a color for print. Another setting is possible in which an upper limit of cumulative print quantity is determined depending on user's department. In general, an administrator of the MFP makes the settings for operation permissions and registers the authentication information as described above.
There has traditionally been a technology for temporarily setting MFP operation permissions for an unregistered user. An image forming apparatus, described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-003810, is configured to enable proxy registration in which any user already registered (a parent user) substitutes as an administrator to register an unregistered user (a child user). In the proxy registration mode, the image forming apparatus requests both the unregistered user and the parent user to enter their individual authentication information (user ID and password). After the parent user is successfully authenticated, the image forming apparatus accepts operation to set a right for the child user in a manner not to exceed the right granted to the parent user. Further, there is proposed a method for registering an unregistered user as a temporary user (Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-140367). According to the method, a registration card is prepared, and data is concurrently or successively read out from a user card of an unregistered user (e.g., visiting employee user) and the registration card, so that the unregistered user is registered as a temporary user. The temporary user is given a right indicated in data of the registration card.
A case is assumed in which a user of an image forming apparatus would like to temporarily perform operation beyond his/her operation permission. Such a case is, for example, a case where a user A authorized to designate “monochrome” only as a color for print wishes to print a document in his/her own box A in full color.
However, in order that a user causes an MFP to perform a desired process on a document in a box, e.g., to print the document, and to send the document through e-mail, it is necessary for the user to be given both an access right to designate the document as processing target data and an operation permission for the desired process. If at least any one of the right and the permission is not given to the user, the image forming apparatus does not accept the operation that does not fall within his/her right. In light of this, the user A, thus, is not able to cause the image forming apparatus to perform desired full color printing.
In order that the user A obtains a desired printed matter, it may be conceived to request a user B who is authorized to perform full color printing to perform operation in place of the user A. The detailed procedures are as follows.
(1) The user A operates a personal computer A, used by him/her, to access a box A, and moves a document in the box A to a removable storage medium such as a USB memory. (2) The user A hands the removable storage medium to the user B. (3) The user B operates a personal computer B, used by him/her, to access his/her own box B, and moves the document from the removable storage medium to the box B. (4) The user B causes the MFP to print the document in the box B in full color.
The procedures (1) through (4) enable the user A to obtain a desired printed matter without using a shared box to which another user possibly makes access before the users A and B know it, i.e., without reducing the information security. However, the user A and the user B have to do a troublesome work of, for example, shuttling data therebetween through the removable storage medium.
Even if the conventional technology discussed above is used, in order for the user A to perform operation beyond his/her right, the user B or the user A has to do the troublesome work. In the proxy registration described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-003810, prior to operation by the user A, the user B needs to complete registration for extending the right of the user A. In the registration through a registration card described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-140367, the user A needs to borrow a registration card from an administrator. The user A cannot ask every user who has a right desired by the user A. Also, the administrator has to create a variety of registration cards depending on rights to be extended, and to manage the registration cards, which places a large load on the administrator.